Field
This disclosure is generally related to a power connector. More specifically, this disclosure is related to a receptacle which facilitates mounting an electronic device on the receptacle via a magnetic field.
Related Art
Consumer and commercial electronic devices oftentimes receive direct current (DC) power from an external power supply which transforms a conventional alternating current (AC) power supply to a DC power signal that meets the electronic device's power requirements. Oftentimes, the power supply includes a power plug at one end that connects to a conventional two-prong or three-prong power outlet, and includes a connector at an opposing end that inserts into the electronic device to provide power to the electronic device.
For example, the connector may include a male plug that inserts into a female connector in one of only one or two possible orientations. The electronic device can include a housing for the female connector that applies friction onto the male connector, to secure the male connector into the electronic device. The female connector can also include a set of electrical contacts that mate with a corresponding set of contacts of the male connector. Oftentimes, both the female connector's housing and its electrical contacts, individually or in concert, may be designed to fasten the male connector into the female connector. In some connectors, such as in D-subminiature connectors, the housings of the male and female connectors are screwed together, which restricts the physical connection to a single orientation.
Unfortunately, this robust physical connection between the male and female connectors effectively restricts the possible orientations in which the male and female connectors can mate.
Some power adapters attempt to provide additional flexibility by including fixed external prongs which may be inserted into sockets in wall outlets or power strips, and including a rotatable electrical socket that allows an external device's power cable or power supply to rotate while plugged into the rotatable electrical socket. However, the rotatable socket only allows one freedom along a rotational axis. A user is not able to adjust an angle on which a device is plugged onto the rotatable socket to an off-axis angle.
Moreover, the rotatable electrical socket is typically electrically connected to the fixed external prong via a set of electrical wires, which restricts the amount of rotation that one can perform on the rotatable socket. If a user over-rotates the rotatable socket, the user will reach torsion resistance from the electrical wires. If the user induces too much torsion on the electrical wires, the user risks breaking the electrical wire or causing the electrical wires to become decoupled from the fixed external prongs or the rotatable socket.
In another example, magnetic power connectors have been used to replace the need for prongs in a conventional AC power supply, thereby reducing the need for fine alignment. A magnetic connector may include a magnetic surface and an electrical connector which may mate with an electrical connector of a cable, and a housing which aligns the electrical connectors between the power connector and the external cable. The magnetic surfaces of the mated connectors are typically chosen to have a strong force holding the two magnetically attracted halves together, and so the two magnetically attracted halves may therefore be quite large. The magnetic connectors are typically configured so that the housing and the electrical connectors restrict lateral and radial movement of the connectors to maintain the orientation needed for electrical conductivity.